River Girl
by JettAndNina
Summary: 15 year old Ariel surprise visits her brothers in Summer Bay but she's not the only one giving surprises (crap summary)
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is my second Home and Away fanfic! Its kind of the same storyline as my first fanfiction but it's different, if that makes sense? :P Anyways, I hope ye like it, and please review because I need all the ideas I can get! :) Thanks :)**

Ariel hadn't seen her brothers in person for two years since she was shipped off to a boarding school in the south of Sydney. Although she kept in contact via skype or telephone once in a while, she couldnt help but be bouncing off the walls to see her brother's shocked smiling faces as she walked into their restaurant that they had bought while she was away. Before Ariel had left they had lived in Mangrove River with their mum. She had learnt that Brax, Casey and Heath had moved to Summer Bay, a few weeks after she had moved, to get away from the River Boys gang and probably their mum, Cheryl, too. Although Ariel didn't quite know why the Braxtons wanted to seperate themselves from the River Boys (Brax and Heath were known to be the leaders of this tribe) she fully understood why they wanted to get away from their mother. This was partly the reason Ariel went to boarding school in Sydney.

Nearly every night, Cheryl would come home, stinking of alcohol, and float around the house trying to think of every insult she could about Ariel and cause her to be so overcome with anger and hatred to walk out of the house just to get away from the drunken mess in the kitchen. No one was there to save her from her mother each night because Brax, Heath and Casey were out nearly every night probably out partying or surfing or doing something that caused Ariel to gag each time she thought about it. But during the day her brothers were always at her side, not allowing anything to happen to her without their consent, and for that she was grateful because she wasnt sure if she would be able to cope with their mum on days aswell as nights. Ariel had confided in Brax about the unbearable nights she experienced with Cheryl and he then decided that he would save up from there on to send Ariel to boarding school in the city where she would be safest. Although Ariel rejected this offer at first she was happy she took it when Brax promised that he, Casey and Heath would call her everyday.

However everyday turned to every week and every week turned to every month and then every month turned to whenever they were both available to speak. Ariel didnt mind it so much, because part of the problem was that she was too busy to talk when they were able to call, but she still looked forward to those calls when they would exchange news and chat about random things.

Ariel hadnt spoken to her brothers in over three months, which was the longest time where she hadnt recieved a phone call from them. She couldnt help but be a little anxious on why they hadnt called her so she planned to suprise visit them during her summer holidays.

This was the first time she was going to visit Summer Bay because last Summer she went to London with some friends on a school assignment 'to experience their culture'.

Ariel had sat on a bus for over four hours and she found it quite difficult to awaken her dead legs as she jumped off the bus with a large suitcase trailing behind her. She assumed that the Braxtons would have room for one more for a couple of weeks.

Ariel couldnt help but allow a smile to form when she saw the sign that read 'Welcome to Summer Bay'. She climbed the grassy hill that was behind to bus stop sign to witness a sandy beach that spread a couple of miles across the town. Flash backs of when Brax or Heath or Casey would teach her how to surf when she was in Mangrove River appeared before her. Nothing could have extinguished the excitement that was forming in her body. Now all she had to do was find the restaurant 'Angelo's' that Brax kept talking about on those limited phone calls. Ariel knew that it was situated above a juice bar place but there was no sign of any juice bar around. So instead Ariel began her journey by walking across the beach until she found someone who could direct her to the restaurant.

After skipping across the long stretch of sand for around five minutes, she approached a bubbly looking girl with jet black hair with purple streaks running through it and a tall, muscular boy with dark hair who had his fingers entwined with the bubbly girl's fingers beside him.

"Hi" Ariel said, catching my breath from half jogging up to them with my suitcase behind me "Do you know where I can find Angelo's Restaurant?"

"Right up there" the bubbly girl said pointing towards a building that quite obviously showed a sign reading 'Angelo's Restaurant'.

"Oh, right, thanks." Ariel thanked, feeling incredibly stupid.

"Anytime." she said, smiling to herself as she and her boyfriend continued to walk along the shoreline.

By the time Ariel had arrived at the juice bar she couldnt help but wince as she noticed the long stairs that she would have to drag her heavy bag up. After pulling up her suitcase along the stairs that seemed to go on to internity she finally reached the top floor. A feeling of accomplishment overcame her as she pulled her suitcase up over the last step, but her feeling of accomplishment was quickly replaced by a feeling of anxiety and excitement as she heard the voice of her brother Brax discussing business details with one of his staff. She followed his voice through the double doors where she greeted Brax who had his back towards her.

"You need to get an elevator, you know, I just spent the last five minutes dragging my suitcase up and I recieved no help from no one. Some restaurant you got here!" I announced with a smirk.

He turned around, froze for around two seconds then greeted me with a very confused "Ariel?"

"Who you think it is?" Ariel said, her smirk turning to a pleasant smile as they jogged towards eachother and hugged.

"What are ya doing here?" he exclaimed, holding her at arms length.

"What? I travel four hours on a bus just to see my brothers and now you dont want me here?" she smiled.

"No, it's great but shouldn't ya be in boarding school?"

"Its the summer holidays, silly, and why would I stay another year at that place without seeing you guys? Anyways, where's Heath and Case?"

"They're at the beach, I'll call them now to meet at the house." he said as he started dialing their phone numbers on his phone. "Kyle, take care of the place." he ordered his staff member who was sitting there, not knowing really what to do.

"But shouldn't I come too?" Kyle said out of the blue whilst staring at me.

"Eh, later." Brax said hesitantly.

Ariel didnt really know what that waiter meant by asking if her should come too, but she quickly forgot about it because she was too head over heals to see Casey and Heath once again.

As Ariel and Brax drove to Ariel's 'home' for the Summer she couldnt help but ask why Brax or Casey or Heath hadn't contacted her.

"I dont know Ari," he lied.

"Brax, I'm fifteen now, I can handle it if you say you forgot about me, I dont care" she lied.

"I didnt forget about ya Ari, thats impossible. I was just busy, ya know." he said as he looked out the window of his uve.

Ariel felt a little hurt that Brax was too busy to even give her a phone call for even two minutes but she was determined not let it affect her.

Ariel was half impressed by the house that her brothers were living in. It seemed to be in a nice, quiet neighbourhood, not what she had expected.

"You did well, didnt you." Ariel said, pleased.

"What do ya mean?" He asked as he got out of the uve.

"No partying, no surfers, no beer, no police."she siad as she looked around the place " It's like there's a whole new Brax"

He showed a smile as he opened the front door. Ariel was also suprised at the conditions Brax was living in. Everything clean. Cleaner than Ariel's bedroom in her boarding school anyways.

"Darryl Braxton. What has gotten into you?" she smiled.

Before he could say anything, a woman appeared from the hall. She wore a maxi dress with a denim jacket. Ariel looked at Brax for an explanation.

"Eh, Ariel this is Ricky, eh, me girlfriend. Ricky this is Ariel, me sister." he said looking at Ariel and Ricky while introducing one to the other.

"This is your sister you were talking about?" Ricky asked Brax.

"Yeah" he said simply.

"Hi." Ariel said, not really knowing how to introduce herself.

"So, the only Braxton girl, must be a treat" she said, smirking.

"Yeah, real treat." Ariel exclaimed sarcastically.

Suddenly the door burst open with Heath and Casey behind it.

"Brax, what wro-" Casey froze mid sentence.

"Ari? Is that really you, squirt?" Heath said, bulging past Casey to lift Ariel off her toes.

"What are you doing here?" Casey asked in suprise as Ariel supplied him with a hug.

"Thought I'd pop over for a suprise visit" she replied smuggly.

"Best suprise visit I've had for a while!" Heath jeered.

That night Ariel tried the 'famous' pizza that Angelo's made where she caught up with the boys and finally ended her day by unpacking her things in the spare bedroom and going to bed to catch up with some much needed sleep. Little did Ariel know that night, that the next day she was going to discover a whole new pack of suprises that seemed to 'slip' from the brothers minds when they had shared those phone calls while she was in boarding school.


	2. Chapter 2

**This is like a world record for me! Two chapters in one day! Anyways, thanks for reading and please follow and review! Give me some ideas ! :)**

The next day Ariel sat down at the dining table munching away at left over pizza from the night before. She assumed her brothers were gone surfing like they always did in Mangrove River. Before she could take another slice of pizza she was interrupted by the waiter from the restaurant.

"Have they told you yet?" he asked.

Ariel jumped from her seat. She hadn't expected anyone to be home.

"What? Who are you?" she asked nervously.

"Nevermind..." he muttered as he rolled his eyes and headed out the door.

Ariel couldnt make sense of what had just happened. Why would he be in the Braxton's house and who is he? She told herself that she would ask Brax what was going on and what he obviously wasnt telling her when he came back.

After around two hours of sitting around at home waiting for Brax, Ariel decided to head out to the beach for a surf, until she realised that she had no surfboard. She quickly came up with the resolution that her brothers might have a spare one and they probably wouldnt mind if she nicked it for a bit. She headed into the backyard shed where she rumaged around and finally got hold of a very used surfboard that was bound to be an old one of Caseys. She put on her baby blue bikini under some shorts and grabbed a towel and headed to the beach with the 'borrowed' surfboard.

After a lot of asking around, Ariel finally managed to locate the beach. For a couple of minutes she watched the waves collapse onto the rocks where the cliff was. She made a mental note to stay clear of that area as it didnt look particularly safe.

She walked along the beach allowing the grains of white sand tickle her toes until she found a spot to put her towel and shorts on.

With her surfboard she jogged down to the sea feeling the cool water as her body became deeper and deeper into the water until she hopped onto her surfboard and paddled along to the larger waves. Ariel couldnt remember the last time she felt this free. Just before things could get any better, the perfect waves was heading her way. She did the practice of standing up on her board that her brothers had thought her. She glided along the wave for a few secounds but was cut off by another surfer and was plunged into the water.

"Hey!" she screamed at the surfer dude once she reached the surface of the water "That was my wave!"

He turned around and started paddling towards Ariel. She didnt care if he was going to hurt her, she would just hurt him back. She wasnt afraid of using a fist on someone if they deserved it.

"Well, if it isnt Baby Braxton!" he sneered "I thought you were gone for good."

"Excuse me?" she said, anger rising.

"Baby Braxton, I never thought I'd see you again..."

"Do I know you?" she asked.

"How can you not remember me? I remember you!" he exclaimed.

"Maybe its best that I dont remember you," Ariel said as she paddled away " You dont seem like the type of person you hold good memories with."

"Oi, no one says that to me!" He yelled after Ariel. His gang were beginning to form a group in the middle of the water.

"Remember Baby Braxton? Eh?" He shouted to his companions "Thats her in the flesh!"

Ariel looked back, disgusted by the way he called her 'Baby Braxton' before someone shouted

"Didnt turn out to be an eye sore anyway!" and wolf whistled.

Ariel paddled faster towards the shore before they could advance anymore but it was futile, they caught up anyways and surrounded her not allowing her to leave the little circle they had formed around her.

"Why you swimming away? Are you scared?" One of them said, laughing.

"No, but I have a right mind to make you scared" Ariel said narrowing her eyes on his.

"Ooh! Shes a fiesty one here!" another one chuckled, making the others roar with laughter.

" Can you just let me go?" Ariel sighed, just wanting to get away from them.

"I dont know guys, should we?" One of them said looking around at his friends with a smirk on his face.

"Just let me go" Ariel said trying to push her way past the bulky men.

"Nah, I dont think so." one said, grabbing Ariel's arm.

Ariel's heart dropped. He had a fierce look in his eyes. His hair was obviously dyed blonde and he had a tattoo going down his arm reading 'Blood and Sand'

"Oi" someone screamed from behind. It was Heath.

"Whats going on here?"

The boy holding Ariel's wrist let go instantly.

"Nothing Heath, just welcoming your sister to Summer Bay." He said smirking.

Heath gave him the death stare and made his way to Ariel and asked her if she was alright. She just nodded in reply.

Once they both reached the shore Heath insisted he walk her home.

"Heath, Im fine! They're just a bunch of jerks, they'd do no harm!" Ariel detested.

"No way, Im not letting you walk home by yourself with them on your trail." he announced while watching Ariel dry herself off with her towel.

"What are they doing in Summer Bay anyways? Arn't they Mangrove River boys?" she asked,

"Better waves, better surf." he explained.

Heath and Ariel both walked back to the house where Brax had finally come home.

"Where were ya?" He asked both of us.

"At the beach" Ariel replied.

"With the Mangrove River crew" Heath finished the sentence for her.

"What did they do to ya?" Brax asked in a serious monotone.

"Nothing, why?" Ariel asked concerned about Brax's seriousness.

Brax glanced at Heath and back to Ariel.

"Nothing." he said as he continued to do paper work in the dining table.

Ariel then remembered about the waiter boys appearance in the house that morning and decided to ask Brax.

"Brax, who's that waiter boy you were talking to when I met you at the restaurant? He was here this morning too and asked if I knew something yet? What was he talking about?" she asked.

Heath looked at Brax with an encouraging nod.

"Well, eh, Ari, the thing is, Kyle, he's your brother?" Brax said awkwardly.

There was silence for a few secounds.

"What?" Ariel chuckled, thinking her brothers were playing a joke on her like they did so many times before.

"Its true, Ari." Heath said, but he wasnt giggling or smirking.

Ariel looked to Brax again who also wasnt giggling or smirking.

"You're kidding me?" she asked in a less amused way.

Brax nodded.

"How long have ye known?" she asked confusion in her voice.

"Around six months," Heath said, but quickly regretted saying it when Brax gave him the death stare.

"What?" Ariel exclaimed. "Six months and you never told me I had a brother!" she yelled before she stormed out the door, slamming it behind her.

She was quickly followed by Brax who shouted her name as she walked towards the restauraunt.

"Where are ya going?!" he shouted at her.

"To find out whats really going on!" she screamed back while stepping onto the pathway to Summer Bay.

Just to her luck Ariel was approached by the same Mangrove River boys who had disturbed her while she was surfing.

"Great.." she muttered to herself as she attempted to push past them without any trouble.

"Well, hello again, Baby Braxton!" the boy who had cut me off my wave said.

"Fuck off." Ariel mummered as she tried to get past them.

"What did you say?" he said as he took hold of Ariel's chin.

Ariel pushed his body away from her as she tried to run off but the other boys had already grabbed hold of her arms.

"I dont think its very nice to say something like that to someone more powerful than you." his face dangerously close to Ariel's. "Dont you think?"

Ariel felt sick the way he said he was more powerful. She had the urge to box his face in or knee him in the groin, but she knew better of it and that it would get her into worse trouble. Before she could think anymore on what to say she felt a huge stinging sensation in her right cheek as her head jerked to the left.

"HEY!" someone yelled in the distance before running up to the leader and punching him right in the face. The two boys that were holding Ariels arms threw her to the ground and descended on the puncher.

From the spaces between the boy's legs Ariel could see a very badly beaten up Kyle, scrunched up on the ground, his arms protecting his head. Without thinking Ariel leaped onto the men attempting to break up the fight before police sirens raided the place. The men fled the place, all going in different directions leaving a badly bruised Ariel and a beaten up Kyle on the ground. The police were quickly followed by an ambulance which immediately attended Kyle and Ariel. Ten minutes later, Brax, Heath and Casey arrived in the uve in which they jumped out of and ran to the scene.

"Ari! Are ya alright?" Brax said as he held Ariel at arm's length.

"Yeah, but its Kyle you need to worry about." she cried as she looked at Kyle who was lying on a stretcher, unconscience.

Ariel sobbed into Casey's chest as Brax and Heath stayed with Kyle in the ambulance that was headin to the hospital. A police woman approached Ariel and asked her a few questions in which Ariel told her what had happened and how Kyle saved her. Ariel was admitted to hospital for a check up in which Casey held her hand the whole time, never letting go.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the follows and reviews so far :) Here's chapter 3, it might remind you of a past episode at the end of this chapter, so lets see if you recogise it :) Please review and give me a few ideas, I love to hear what you think about it so far :) Thanks and enjoy :)**

"Casey, I want to see him." Ariel told Casey.

"Yeah, we'll find him, dont worry." Casey ensured Ariel.

They strolled into the waiting room where they met Brax and Heath.

"Is everything okay Ariel?" Brax asked as he and Heath both stood up from their seats.

"Yeah, fine." she said dully "Where's Kyle?"

"Surgery." Heath answered "They say he has a broken rib, but nothing the doctors can't fix"

Ariel let out a sigh of relief as she collapsed onto a chair.

"Who was it?" Brax asked Ariel.

"Who was what?" she muttered, leaning her head againt the wall.

"Who hit ya?"

"I dunno."

"What did he look like?"

"I dunno."

"Ariel, ya gotta remember what he looked like?"

"I dont know Brax. I can't remember." she lied "Why do you want to know?"

"So I can give them what they deserve." he said, coldness in his voice,

"Brax, no. I won't let you." Ariel said desperately, lifting her head from the wall.

"They can't just hurt ya like that, Ari. They cant just get away with it." he mumbled, staring into space.

"Brax, theyre not worth it. Please, I dont want you getting into trouble." Ariel pleaded, standing herself infront of Brax.

Brax stayed silent, not allowing his eyes to meet Ariel's. She gave Heath and Casey desperate looks but they knew they couldnt change Brax's mind even if they begged and begged.

Ariel sat there in her seat until the nurse came and informed them that Kyle's operation was a success and that they could visit him now.

Each one of the braxton's piled into the room in which Kyle was laying in a hospital bed, with machines hooked onto him. Ariel couldnt help feel guilty that she was the reason he was there.

"How ya feeling?" Brax asked, standing at the side of his bed.

"Eh, not so good." he replied sarcastically.

Ariel stayed silent the whole time until the nurse ushered them out. She was last to leave but Kyle called her back.

"I saw who hit you." he said.

Ariel couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable.

"Is that all they did to you?" he asked.

"What? Hit me?" she said not understanding the question.

"So, that guy only hit you once and nothing else?" he asked.

"Yeah. Why?" she asked, concerningly.

"Just stay away from them, they're bad news." he stated.

Ariel nodded before the nurse came back in, indicating for her to leave. She didn't really know how to react to Kyle. He was her brother and yet she felt so far away from him, like a stranger.

Once they arrived home, Ariel looked in the mirror to be greeted with an unpleasant bruise planted on her right cheek. Not bearing to look anymore she found it to be best that she just go to sleep and clear her mind and hope that everything would be better tomorrow.

The next day, Ariel caked her face with makeup that only daintly covered the gigantic bruise that had covered her left cheek bone. She just decided to wash it all off, admitting defeat.

She strolled into the kitchen where she was welcomed by toast and orange juice on the table.

"Whats all this for?" she asked, digging into her toast.

"You're coming to work with me." Brax said.

"What? No way, not with this gigantic bruise on my face. Everyones going to think I got into a fight!" she exclaimed.

"Well, you did, didn't you?" Casey joked, but quickly regretted what he had said once he got the death stare from Brax.

"Since when do ya care about what people say?" Brax asked, returning to his newpaper .

"Since I got this giant bruise on my face." Ariel mummered with a mouthful of toast.

"Well, I dont care, I'm not leaving ya on your own." he stated, crossing his arms.

"You know," Ricky chirped in "I may have something that can lessen the effect of that bruise on your face?"

"Really?" Ariel cried out, looking up from her toast.

"Yeah, if you want, I could work some of my magic on you and hopefully you wont be able to see it as much" she said smiling, then taking a sip of her coffee.

"That would be amazing!" Ariel grinned.

After around ten minutes of Ricky used various brushes and foundations the bruise was finally invisible.

"Wow! It's really gone!" Ariel smiled in amazement "Thank you so much! I really thought I was going to have to go around with a big black spot on my face!"

"My pleasure." she chuckled to herself.

Brax and Ariel drove down to the restaurant where Ariel sat there for 3 hours begging for Brax to let her go somewhere else. He finally gave in, allowing her to go downstairs to get a smoothie. But Ariel couldnt help notice the sun shining onto the ocean and the sand. Maybe Brax wouldnt mind if she just 'stepped out the door' for some fresh air she thought. Just as she was making her way down to the railing to watch the waves collapse over each other she was pushed aside behind the juice bar, where no one could see. It was the River Boy who punched her.

"What did you say?" he asked, his arm flat against her chest, making it difficult for her to move or even breath.

"Say what?" she squeaked, fear building up.

"To the police." he stated, his arm putting more pressure on Ariel.

"I didnt say anything." she lied as the River Boy looked around to see if there was any passer-bys.

"You better keep it that way, or else you better get your ass outta town unless you want one of your brothers dead." he snarled.

Ariel nodded in reply, tears springing up behind her eyes before one of the other River Boys shouted "Liam" and he released his arm from her and wandered off, as if nothing had happened. Ariel watched him until he was out of sight and fell to the ground, cover her face with her hands as she weeped.

She didnt know what she should do. She had put her family in danger, and she didnt know what those River Boys were capable of doing. The only solution that she could think of was to run away, like Liam had suggested and hope that he or his crew won't go near her family.

Although she was reluctant to go she knew it was the only way. So Ariel started speed walking away, trying to wipe the tears from her face with the back of her hand, so nothing looked unusual to anyone.

She decided that the best place to go was the bus stop, maybe she could go back to her boarding school in Sydney. She didnt care if she left her stuff at the Braxton's house, it would be better to get out of Summer Bay before the River Boys found out what she told the police.

After twenty minutes of waiting around at the bus stop, a hunky man arrived.

"Hey, do you know when the next bus comes?" Ariel asked him as he leaned against the railing behind the bench.

"Not sure, in half an hour, I guess." he replied.

Great, Ariel thought to herself. Not able to wait any longer, she decided to get up from the bench and put her thumb up to try and hitch a ride to the nearest city. Just to her luck, a car pulled over.

"Hi," she said as she opened the passenger door, however she was quickly interrupted by the man from the bus stop suffocating her with a clothe pressed against her noise and mouth.

Ariel screamed and kicked as she tried to let herself free from his gripping arms but the world started spinning around her and before she knew it she passed out, falling into the mans arms as he carried her into the backseat of the car.


	4. Chapter 4

Brax pondered around Summer Bay searching for Ariel until he finally gave up and decided to call his brothers.

"Hey, what's up?" Heath said once he answered his phone.

"It's Ariel. Do you know where she is?" Brax asked, his hand massaging his neck.

"No, why?" Heath stated, much to Brax's dissapointment.

"I can't find her."

"Have you checked everywhere?"

"Yeah, she's not here."

"Where are you?"

"The beach."

"Okay, wait there for me." Heath ordered before hanging up.

"Does Casey know?" Heath asked Brax as he approached him on the beach.

"No."

"Why not?" Heath questioned. "She's his sister."

"Because we're going to Mangrove River." Brax replied.

Heath nodded and both of them jumped into Brax's uve and headed towards their home town.

Once they reached Mangrove River, Brax and Heath both made their way to the place they remembered so well. It was where they and the River Boys would hang out when they would be up to no good.

Like they had expected, the River Boys were there, drinking from cans of beer and having numerous fights. But all the commotion ceased once Brax and Heath were noticed both walking up to the trouble-makers.

"Oi! What are you doing here?" Liam said, strolling up to Heath and Brax to meet them in their path.

Without giving any sign, Brax swung his arm towards Liam, causing him to fall to the ground. Before Liam could get up, Brax gripped his t-shirt, pulling him up onto the ground. Heath had taken care of the other boys who had advanced during Brax's attack.

"Where is she?" Brax questioned, his face threateningly close to Liam's.

"Darryl Braxton, you've some nerve to come back here." Liam replied, sneering.

Brax let go of Liam and pushed him back.

"Tell me where she is, or else somethings bad gonna happen to ya. Ya got me?" Brax warned.

Liam snickered before replying to Brax's question.

"Well, you see Brax, I don't know how I can answer your question when I dont even know where she is myself." he sniggered,

Brax's eyes narrowed on his.

"You see Brax, I know this is not my place to say, but I think it's quite obvious Ariel's walked out on ye." Liam said, looking around at his friends. "Such a pity too, she wasnt such a bad sight to lay eyes on."

Brax plunged towards Liam but he was held back by Heath.

"Come on Brax, he isn't worth it." Heath uttered, trying to hold back Brax.

Brax reluctantly backed down and the two of them started walking back to the car, with Brax feeling their triumphant stares on him as he leaped back into the uve.

"What are we going to tell Casey?" Heath asked, as Brax sped back home.

"I dont know, Heath."

"Well, what are you going to do then?"

"I dont know, Heath."

"Do you think it was the River Boys?"

"Heath, I dont know! Will ya stop asking me questions!" Brax said frustrated, as they pulled up outside the house.

"Alright, sorry!" Heath said, getting out of the car.

"Listen, I dont know where she is but we'll get her back. Alright?" Brax said, following him into the house.

"Hey" Casey greeted Brax and Heath as they entered the living room. "Where were you guys?"

"Out." Brax replied as Casey gave him a weird look.

"Where's Ariel?" Casey asked, popping his head up from the couch to look at Brax. "I thought she was with you?"

"Eh, thats the thing Case," Brax said, taking a beer from the fridge "We can't find her."

"What?" Casey exclaimed as he got up from the sofa. "Have you been looking?"

"Yeah, all day." Brax said as he took a seat at the dining table.

"And you never told me?"

"Yeah, well it looks like she's made a runner." Brax said, before his phone started ringing.

"Hello?" Brax asked.

"Brax, it's so nice to finally hear your voice again..."

"Who is this?"

"I'm suprised you dont remember, you did leave me to die."

Brax froze, he knew exactly who it was but he didn't think it was possible.

"Yeah, you've guessed it. It's your best friend Adam."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi Everyone! Thanks for all the follows and reviews! Sorry that I havn't posted in a little while, been a little busy! After next week though I might not be able to post chapters as frequently as I am now because of school so enough of me rambling and I hope you enjoy! :) Thanks :D**

"I've been catching up with a friend of your's in Mangrove River..."

"What?" Brax asked, confused.

"Yeah, he owed me one so he helped me out with something. Something that means alot to you" Adam sneered.

"Where is she?!" Brax snapped, both Casey and Heath staring at him wondering what was going on.

"You really think I'm going to tell you where she is and I get nothing out of it?" Adam laughed "No, you see Brax, you left me for dead and now I think it's more than fair that I leave you for dead."

Brax paused for a moment his hand running through his hair.

"Where do you want to meet?" he asked.

"The place where you almost killed me. Two am sharp. And if you're not there, dont be expecting to see your little sister again." Adam replied before hanging up on the phone."

"Who was that?" Casey asked, a confused frown on his face.

"Adam." Brax said, sitting himself at the dining table.

"What?" Heath exclaimed "I thought he was dead?"

"Yeah, well, he aint." Brax answered back "And he's got Ari."

Heath and Casey stared at Brax for a moment.

"What are we gonna do?" Heath asked.

"I dont know." Brax replied.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ariel woke up laying on a couch in a room she had never been in before. She blinked a few times in an attempt to wipe away the blurryness in her vision and slowly lifted up her head from the armrest of the sofa as her hand massaged her scalp as a pounding headache hammered against her scull. She looked up to witness two unfamiliar men in an unfamiliar room, each guarding a run-down door.

"W-where am I?" she asked, innocence in her voice.

The two men turned to eachother, one dialing Adam's phone number on his phone.

"Yeah, she's awake." he stated to the call reciever "What do you want us to do now?"

Ariel couldnt hear what the person on the other line was saying but by the assuming that the man was referring to her, she quickly realised that something bad was happening.

The man nodded, not realising that the reciever could not see him before hanging up.

Ariel quickly stood up despite the pain it caused in her head.

"What do you think you're doing?" the other man asked.

"Going home." Ariel said, trying to push past them to get out the door.

"Nah, I dont think so." the phone man snarled before thrusting Ariel, causing her to feel her bones shatter as she hit the cold, hard floor.

Ariel gazed on the two men before slowly lifting herself from the ground.

"What is this?" she enquired.

"Nothing you need to worry about.." the other man sneered.

"I'm serious, let me out." Ariel ordered, sliding her hand into her pocket.

"Looking for this?" the phone man said, her phone firmly gripped in his hand.

"Why do you have that?!"

"Because I'm the boss now."

"What?"

Before he could respond another man entered the room, a grin plastered across his face.

"Well, well, I finally meet the youngest Braxton in person."

Ariel gaped at him, confusion in her eyes.

"Who are you?" she asked threateningly.

"You dont know me? Oh, well, you see, I was a good friend of Brax, well right up until he left me for dead." he sneered looking at his two companians guarding the doors.

Ariel glared at him.

"Let me tell you, when your dear brother Brax was in trouble I risked my life for him by pushing him away from a speeding car."

Ariel stared at him, horrified.

"Well, long story short, your brother Brax didnt even bother calling an ambulance after I went through all that trouble, and left me there, where no one could find me."

Adam smirked at Ariel's alarmed face.

"Dont tell me you didnt know about this? You didnt think that Brax was the perfect brother who would never murder a living soul, did you?" Adam said sarcastically.

Ariel didnt want to believe it, she fought with all her strength to hold back the tears that were dangerously about to escape her eyes.

"B-Brax wouldn't do that." she finally said, the ball in her throat becoming larger and larger.

"But he did." Adam admitted.

Ariel slumped onto the chair, not able to hold her body weight anymore. She knew Brax would sometimes get in trouble with drinking and police but never would she ever even think that Brax would be capable of doing such a crime. She had evidently lost the battle with her tears as they silently came pouring out of her eyes. The mix of emotion seemed to worsen her headache.

"Listen, all I'm doing is keeping you hostage for a while just to give Brax a lesson. I wont hurt you, unless you give me reason to. So just dont make this hard for yourself." Adam said before ducking out of the room.

Ariel didnt have the strength to reply, she was too full of shock and fury, and her migrain was starting to turn into a bunch of hammers knocking on her scull from different angles. She ducked her head, both hands against her forehead attempting to rub out the pain. After minutes of trying to figure out the situation, Ariel came up with a plan. It was risky, but she didnt care, she just wanted to get out.

"Whats going to happen to me?" Ariel asked, looking up at the same two men.

They didnt reply.

"Why do I have this headache?" her voice dreary.

They didnt reply.

"Can I have some water? Please." she pleaded.

The two men looked at eachother before one nodded and headed out the door.

Ariel sat there on the sofa, her head bowed.

Once the man came back with a glass of water in his hand, Ariel got up slowly, making her way to the water. She took the glass from his hand and took a gulp from it before throwing the rest of the water in the man's face, causing him to flinch giving her a chance to quickly knee him in the crotch. The other man had advanced on her and had taken her by the arms but she jabbed her elbow into his stomach which caused him to lose his grip on her as he hugged his belly, obviously winded. Without looking back she sprinted out of the room and down the steps that hopefully led outside. Her head was pounding but she couldnt afford to think about it as her legs jumped from step to step down the stairs. She burst open the door at the end of the stairs to meet the fresh air and sunlight and ran as quickly as she could away from the building.

For a moment she looked back to see the two men on her trail and before she could turn back she was stopped in her tracks. She had bumped into Adam.

Ariel froze. The two men had descended and each had grabbed onto her arms.

"Trying to run away I see." Adam said, his voice low and serious.

He darted his eyes towards the two men and then back to Ariel.

Before Ariel could take anymore into account she felt herself fall to the ground without warning and everything suddenly went black.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone! I really hope you enjoy this chapter, I'm really sorry if it's a bit lousy, its 1:40am right now and I'm a bit tired :P This may be the last chapter for a while, because my easter holidays end Monday but hopefully I will get at least one chapter done every two weeks! Anyways, I know this chapter is very short, but hopefully the next one will be longer! Anyways, thanks for all the reviews (they've been really encouraging!) and I would love to see more! Thanks and I hope you all had a good easter! :D**

It was two o' clock in the morning. Brax, Heath and Casey all jumped out of the uve.

"Stick to the plan." Brax ordered as they all went in different directions.

Brax strided up to place where he almost lost his life.

Just as they had scheduled, Adam was there along with two men and Ariel.

Brax's stomach dropped when he saw Ariel perked up on a chair with ropes tightly knotted around her wrists. Her head drooped down, her wavy brunnette hair covering the pale skin of her face. He gazed at her lifeless body, the hairs on his neck standing up.

"Ariel!" He yelled in an attempt to revive her.

She didnt move.

"Ariel." he said again, struggling to get past the two men that were blocking his way to her.

"What have you done to her?" Brax screamed at Adam, who was looking smugly at him.

"Nothing the doctors can't fix...probably." he sneered.

Brax found it difficult not to leap onto Adam but he restrained himself.

"So" Adam said "You're willing to give up your life for your sister."

Brax furrowed his eyebrows in anger, his breaths heavy.

"Funny, isnt it, how you're facing the same faith I faced for you? But the thing is, Brax, there's no one here that is going to even try and help you stay alive."

Brax could feel his blood boiling but he kept his stance, his nails digging into his palms as he clenched his fists.

"So now, without further ado, I think it's time to do the deed." Adam snarled as he slowly slipped the gun from his pocket.

The two men had stepped back, each on either side of Adam, glaring at Brax, waiting to see him be killed. Brax nodded, and out the cornor of his eye he gave his two brothers who were behind a bush the signal to proceed with their plan.

"Any last words?" Adam asked, as he raised his weapon, aiming for Brax's heart.

"Yeah," Brax said "the Braxtons never give up."

Adam gave Brax a bewildered face before Heath snuck up behind him and pummeled an iron crowbar across his head, causing him to collapse to the ground, blood gushing out from above his ear. Casey had punched one of the men in the face, a crunch emiting, indigating that the man's nose was broken before Casey kicked him in the stomach, winding the blood covered man. Brax had already descended on the other man, blowing fists and kicks all around him.

Casey sprinted over to Ariel and made himself busy trying to untie the tightly tied ropes that had sunk into her wrists while Heath and Brax continued to attack the men until all lied unconscious on the dry dirt.

Once Ariel was disentangled from the coarse ropes, Brax carried her to the car before speeding to the hospital while her body was sprawled across the back seats, her head resting on Casey's lap. Brax couldnt help but feel shame that he could have allowed his sister to be brought into such a situation.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi Everyone! I am so so sorry that I am so late with this chapter! I know I said that I would have the chapter published in two weeks but I was so busy with studying for my summer exams and other stuff :P So I hope you'll find it in your hearts to forgive me and continue to read this story! Haha :P So anyways, thanks for all the reviews and follows and keep them coming :D I hope to have the next chapter finished soon as I've finished all my exams :) Byeee and don't forget to R&R ! :D**

The three brothers all sat in the waiting room in the hospital. Heath was resting his head against the wall, Casey was sitting nervously, fidgeting with his fingers, and Brax was plunkered in a seat, his face in his hands.

They waited for fifteen minutes, jumping up whenever a nurse or doctor walked by.

"How long is this going to take?" Brax finally asked Nurse Wilson, not bearing to wait any longer.

"They're just doing some tests. We should have the results soon." she informed them.

"Well is she alright?" Heath questioned, stepping forward.

"We should know in a little while, but please be patient, we're doing the best we can." she confirmed before heading off.

Heath and Brax both sat down again, this time even more anxious than ever.

Brax tried to clear his head, but every time he attempted to he kept going back to Ariel, and what Adam could have done to her. He didnt know what his former best friend was capable of doing anymore.

Brax got distracted for a few moments when he heard Ricky call his name.

"What happened?" she queried, jogging towards the brothers.

"Who told you we were here?" Brax asked, still honkered on his chair.

"I did." Casey stated.

Ricky kept her stare on Brax, her eyebrows furrowed just like his whenever he was confused.

"It's Ariel."

"What? Is she ok?" she asked, putting an encouraging arm around Brax's shoulder as she took the seat next to him.

"Your brother, He did something to her." Heath said, his voice irritated.

Ricky went a pale shade of white.

"Adam?" she said, her voice much quieter.

"Yeah, your brother, he's done something to Ariel and from here it looks bad!" Heath almost shouted, standing up from his chair.

"Heath! Calm down!" Brax ordered, pushing Heath back down with only the push of one hand.

"Heath, if you think I've got something to do with this, I havn't. I don't have anything to do with Adam anymore." Ricky detested.

Heath looked away, a sulk on his face. Ricky ignored him and resumed discussing Ariel to Brax.

"Have the doctors said anything yet?" she asked.

"No, they wont tell us anything until the results are in." he replied dully.

"Does Kyle know?"

"No."

"Well, you better tell him, he's wondering where you are. He came home to an empty house."

Brax looked down. He had forgotten Kyle was coming home from hospital.

"I'll tell him later." he groaned.

"Brax, he needs to know."

Knowing that Ricky wouldn't back down, Brax gave in and called Kyle.

By the time Kyle had reached his brothers in the hospital, Nurse Wilson had approached them with Ariel's results.

"After doing a few tests on Ariel we have come to the conclusion that Ariel is suffering from Central Nervous System Depression." the nurse told them, a trival of sympathy in her eyes.

"What the flamin' hell is that?" Heath exclaimed.

She paused for a second, as if she was dreading her next words.

"It means that Ariel is suffering from an inhibited brain which has caused her breathing rate to decrease which has led to her passing out. Central Nervous System Depression is usually caused by an overdose of some sort of substance and in this case we have found traces of chloroform in Ariel that is the most likely source to have caused her illness."

You could have heard the brother's hearts drop in unison as they gawzed at her with alarmed faces.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi! It hasn't been that long since I've posted the last chapter for a change but it's a bit short... I hope you like it anyways :) Please, please, please review because I love reading your comments and feel free to give me some constructive criticism :) It would really help me out :D Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) I'll try my best to have the next one posted soon :)**

Ariel was woken up from her sleep by the sound of her brothers shuffling into her hospital room.

"Ariel!" Casey exclaimed, rushing to the side of her bed, grabbing onto her hand.

Heath and Kyle soon followed Casey's footsteps and were on either side of Ariel. Brax stayed at the end of the bed, resting his two hands on the cornors of the bed rest.

"Are you ok?" Kyle asked.

"Eh...I could be better." she said, attempting to heist herself up to be at least a little bit presentable to her brothers.

"Hey, hey," Casey said softly as he lightly pushed Ariel's shoulder back down "You need to rest."

Ariel resisted the urge to protest as she allowed her back to sink back into her bed. She put her hand up to her head as she felt a piercing pain vibrate through her skull.

"Alright?" Heath asked concerningly.

She nodded her head in reply and looked towards the end of the bed at Brax. He was staring into space.

"Brax?" she said, interrupting his daydream.

"Uh..yeah?" he replied, coming back to reality.

"Um...nothing." she said back, a bit disappointed that she didnt get the warm welcome she hoped for.

Brax changed his position. "Ariel, I'm sorry I got you into this mess. I don't know what I was thinking letting you stay with us."

"What?" Ariel questioned "Brax, its okay, I'm fine, I'll be out of this hospital in no time. Right?"

The boys exchanged looks, she obviously wasn't told about her illness. Ariel looked on at the boys, becoming more and more nervous by the second.

"What's going on?" Ariel finally asked wearily.

The boys all looked to Brax, expecting him to speak up.

"Eh... Ariel, you might not be coming out of the hospital for a longer time than expected." Brax stated.

"Why not?" Ariel asked, a lump in her throat forming.

"Ariel," he said looking down "You have Central Nervous System Depression."

Ariel's breath was cut short. The lump in her throat seemed to block the air from passing out through her mouth. She didn't even know what her illness meant but by the worried faces on her brother she knew it was something you couldn't fix over a matter of days.

"It will be alright though." Heath said, putting an encouraging hand on her arm.

Ariel stared at him and then stared forward, determined not to allow a tear to pass her eye in front of her brothers.

After a few seconds she finally gathered the courage to speak up.

"But I-" she started "I thought I was going to be okay..."

"You are going to be okay, Ariel. We won't let anything happen to you." Casey said, squeezing her hand, but her still had a troubled look on his face.

Ariel couldn't handle it and let out a whimper and covered her face with her hand attempting to cover up the tears flowing from her eyes.

Brax couldn't face anymore and he quickly left the room in an effort to minimize the guilt he felt.


End file.
